Google Sync Services quietly adds a couple new settings

With Google I/O 2013 about to open, Android users poking around in their settings have noticed some new sync settings are available for their Google accounts. The additions appear to be part of an update to the Google Sync Services app that was pushed out to Android users over the last few days, taking the app up to version 3.1.36. The first new addition is a toggle to sync or not sync “App Data.” It is unclear whether that means Google is syncing data about the apps on a device or whether this is a new service that app developers can use to have in-app data sync’ed via Google’s services. The second new toggle is for “Sync People details” which is different from contacts. Again, it is not clear exactly what data may be getting sync’ed. It could be tied into Google+ or it may possibly be related to the new Google Play Games service expected to be announced at Google I/O 2013.

Be sure to check back here at the TalkAndroid site for more from our team on the ground at Google I/O 2013. Hopefully we will find out more about why Google pushed out these changes to their sync services and how they will benefit users.

Raised in North Carolina, Jeff Causey is a licensed CPA in North Carolina. Jeff's past Android devices include an HTC EVO, a Samsung Note II, and an LG G3, and a Motorola Moto X Pure Edition along with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet 10.1. He currently uses a Samsung Galaxy S8 and (very rarely) a Nexus 7 (2013). He is also using a Verizon-branded Motorola Moto Z Play Droid supplied by his job. Jeff used to have a pair of Google Glass and a Moto 360 Sport in his stable of gadgets. Unfortunately, his wife and kids have all drunk the Apple Kool-Aid and have i-devices. Life at home often includes demonstrations of the superiority of his Android based devices. In his free time, Jeff is active in his church, a local MINI Cooper car club, and his daughter's soccer club. Jeff is married, has three kids, and a golden retriever.

whatever

If I don’t know what it is it will be turned off

kohjb

Hi! Just checking if anyone figured out what data the 2 new sync settings mentioned actually contain?

http://wilcfry.com/ Wil Fry

It was quite a pain when I first activated my Droid4 (my first smartphone) and found that Google had put all my email contacts into my phone as phone contacts. Sigh. Those are two different things.

I’ve now turned off syncing on everything but Gmail, but can’t figure out an easy way to remove all those (hundreds!) of email contacts from my phone’s contact list.

Martijn

You might want to add a group in Gmail contacts for “e-mail only” contacts. In Gmail contacts, put all these e-mail contacts in that specific group and all your other contacts in a different group (e.g. “telephone contact”). After that turn on syncing of contacts in your phone again. To those hundreds of mail contacts the label with group information is added. Then you can filter your contacts to only show your “telephone contacts”. Be sure to unselect the “My Contacts” group in which as a starting point all contacts are included.

http://wilcfry.com/ Wil Fry

Thanks for the tip, Martijn. I’m still new to all this and appreciate any instruction.

Part of my issue was that Google doesn’t need to know any of my phone contact’s phone numbers (and some of them probably wouldn’t want me to provide their numbers to Google).

My solution: I turned off *all* syncing, removed all contacts from my phone, removed all phone numbers that sync had added to my Gmail lists, and rebuilt my phone’s contact list from scratch.

Now I can’t check email from my phone, but that’s okay with me. I have a computer for that.